THIS WEEK IN MAC FOOTBALL

This Week’s MAC Schedule
Tuesday, November 6
*Kent State at Buffalo, 7:30 pm ET (ESPNU)
Wednesday, November 7
*Ohio at Miami, 7:00 pm ET (ESPNU)
*Toledo at NIU, 8:00 pm ET/7:00 pm CT (ESPN2)
Saturday, November 10
*Akron at Eastern Michigan, Noon ET (ESPN3)
*Bowling Green at Central Michigan, 3:00 pm ET (ESPN+)
*Mid-American Conference contest
MAC QUICK NOTES:
• Week 11 features the continuation of midweek MACtion with three midweek games and
two Saturday contests. Week 11 begins with one game on Tuesday, Nov. 6 at 7:30 pm
with Kent State at Buffalo (ESPNU), and two games on Wednesday, Nov. 7 with Ohio at
Miami in the ‘Battle of the Bricks’ at 7:00 pm ET (ESPNU) and Toledo at Northern
Illinois at 8:00 pm ET/7:00 pm CT (ESPN2). Saturday, Nov. 10 will witness Akron at
Eastern Michigan at Noon ET (ESPN3) and Bowling Green at Central Michigan at 3:00 pm
ET (ESPN+).
• Northern Illinois (6-3) and Ohio (6-3) join Buffalo (8-1) and Western Michigan
(6-4) as MAC programs bowl eligible. Northern Illinois became bowl eligible with a
36-26 win at Akron on Nov. 1, as the Huskies are bowl eligible for the 10th time in
the last 11 seasons. Ohio became bowl eligible with a 59-14 win at Western Michigan
on Nov. 1. The Bobcats are bowl eligible for the 10th consecutive year. Both
Toledo (5-4) and Eastern Michigan (5-5) need one more win to reach bowl eligibility.
• In MAC crossover games this season, the East and West Divisions are tied, 6-6. In
each of the last eight consecutive years (2010-2017), the MAC West Division has
topped the East Division in regular season head-to-head crossover games.
MIDWEEK MACTION CONTINUES DURING WEEK 11
Midweek MACtion continues this week with games on Tuesday and Wednesday with three
games during the week and two games on traditional Saturday afternoon. The week
begins on Tuesday, Nov. 6 at 7:30 pm ET with Kent State at Buffalo (ESPN2), while
Wednesday, Nov. 7 will feature Ohio at Miami at 7:00 pm ET (ESPNU) and Toledo at
Northern Illinois at 8:00 pm ET/7:00 pm CT (ESPN2).The MAC began midweek football in
1999 and this season marks the 20th year of playing during the week. During the 2018
season, the MAC will have 16 games nationally televised on either ESPN2, ESPNU or
CBS Sports Network on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday during the last five weeks of
the regular season.
MAC WEEKLY NOTES
• Northern Illinois (6-3, 5-0) won its fifth consecutive game with a 36-26 win at
Akron on Thursday, Nov. 1 as the Huskies remain in first place in the MAC West
Division and became bowl eligible for the 10th time in the last 11 years. NIU
quarterback Marcus Childers was 21-28 passing for 188 yards and running back Tre
Harbison had a career-high 169 yards rushing and one touchdown. The Huskies defense
totaled five sacks, eight tackles for loss, two interceptions and limited Akron to
35 yards rushing.
• Ohio (6-3, 4-1) posted a convincing 59-14 win at Western Michigan on Nov. 1 as the
Bobcats scored 45 points in the first half alone and totaled six turnovers to become
bowl eligible for the 10th consecutive year. The win marked Ohio’s first win over
Western Michigan since Oct. 7, 2006. The Bobcats totaled 420 yards of total offense
as quarterback Nathan Rourke accounted for five touchdowns, three passing and two
rushing. Rourke has 64 total touchdowns in his career, which ranks third-most in
school history, with 34 career passing touchdowns, 29 career rushing touchdowns and
one receiving touchdown.
• Buffalo (8-1, 5-0) scored a season high 51 points with 505 yards of offense in a
51-42 win over Miami on Oct. 30. Bulls wide receiver Anthony Johnson set a school
single-game record with 238 yards receiving on eight catches and three touchdowns.
Quarterback Tyree Jackson accounted for six touchdowns, with three rushing
touchdowns and three passing scores on 358 yards passing.
• Toledo (5-4, 3-2) posted a 45-13 win over Ball State on Oct. 31 as the Rockets
scored a touchdown on their first three drives and posted 531 yards of offense and
forced five turnovers. Toledo quarterback Eli Peters was 25-34 passing for 327 yards
and two touchdowns.
• Eastern Michigan’s defense was dominant in a 17-7 win over Central Michigan as the
Eagles totaled four sacks, eight tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and two
interceptions in holding Central Michigan to only 138 yards of total offense. The
Eagles were led by running back Shaq Vann with 13 carries for 114 yards.
• Kent State earned a 35-28 win at Bowling Green on Oct. 30 as running back Jo-El
Shaw rushed for 128 yards and two rushing touchdowns, and added 28 yards receiving
and one touchdown.
OHIO AT MIAMI AND THE’ BATTLE OF THE BRICKS’ ON NOV. 7
The Ohio Bobcats and Miami RedHawks rivalry dates back to 1908 and the Bobcats and
RedHawks will meet for the 95th time on Wednesday, Nov. 7 in Oxford, Ohio at 7:00 pm
ET on ESPNU. The Ohio-Miami rivalry is known as the ‘Battle of the Bricks’ as Miami
leads the series 52-40-2. However, Ohio has won the last five straight meetings and
11 of the last 12 meetings, including a 45-28 win vs. Miami last season.
AKRON ADDS ROAD GAME AT SOUTH CAROLINA ON DEC. 1
Akron and South Carolina have agreed to play a football game on Dec. 1, 2018, at
Noon ET in Williams-Brice Stadium. The game replaces Akron’s Sept. 1 contest at
Nebraska, which was canceled due to lightning, and South Carolina’s Sept. 15 contest
against Marshall, which was canceled due to Hurricane Florence.
“What a great opportunity to play at South Carolina against the Gamecocks,” said
Akron seventh-year head coach Terry Bowden. “Our young men were so disappointed when
the Nebraska game was cancelled due to lightning. We felt it was important to give
them a game in such a great venue.”
“This gives us the best opportunity to earn a bowl bid,” Akron Director of Athletics
Larry Williams said. “It will be a first-class trip that gives us the chance to
match up against a quality opponent that evaded us in the opening weekend. Our
student-athletes look forward to the opportunity.”
The game will be televised on the SEC Network Alternate channel and can be streamed
on SEC Network+ and the ESPN App on connected devices. The game will be broadcast
on the Akron-IMG Sports Radio Network.